Saw it in the metal at the local dealer today. Have a test drive booked for next week. Quality of interior's materials, build & design does not stand up to the 458. Entry is hilariously impractical, with the scissor doors and elevated sills making a dignified entry difficult. Visibility from the cockpit is excellent once you're in, however - and the sense of occasion after going through the motions is actually very cool. The car is gorgeous in the metal. The front end is mini-P1, and that chunky rear end still works. All-in-all, she looks like a worthy competitor. Can't wait to drive it. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That interior material does not do that interior justice. Black leather with diviated stitching and some alcantara would be more pleasing to the eyes.
Making it look like the P1 takes away from the P1 IMHO. Biggest issue I've had with P1 is it doesn't look that different. Will be interesting to see how the car drives. I was impressed with the MP4 coupe.
Meh... Honestly, I could care less about the Mclaren typewriters. Sure, the F1 seems cool but the new ones just don't do it. I do like the color though.
LOL. What? It has alcantara, CF, stitching, and plastic. How can it be low quality compared to a 458 that has the exact same materials?
Because McLaren has more plastic crap inside than any other exotic car, I have seen. They don't use quality suppliers. LOL.
Huh? It's like the most spartan interior of any exotic out there. Maybe I've forgotten, but the only think plastic I can recall are buttons/knobs. I don't think I've ever driven a car with metal buttons. Plastic feels like plastic in everything from a Ford to a Ferrari in my experience. Even CF just feels like glossy plastic to me.
Sorry but I own both cars (12C Spider and 458 Spider) and the interior quality, including fit and finish, on the McLaren is superior to the Ferrari. In addition McLaren believes that if you order cruise control you should get a proper stalk, with the ability to know what speed you've set and a resume and cancel function that make sense, instead of a hideous and cheap "pit speed" dial that gives you zero feedback. Also check out the crappy window and roof controls on the 458. They look like they came off a cheap kids' toy. There's no contest here. McLaren's controls feel good and their dash pieces line up properly. Their AC vents will actually push air to your face. Their parking brake control is in a good place and its operation makes sense. I could go on and on but hopefully you're getting the point. I love both cars but the McLaren is the better built car for sure. Maybe you need to see one with a leather interior. I sat in the 650S in Geneva and found that the full Alcantara interior on the 650S feels a little less special than their normal leather interiors but that's just a leather vs. alcantara thing. The Speciale has the same issue. Regardless I'd probably still go for the Alcantara interior (it's a no-cost option) for overall grip. BTW, a full leather interior (or some leather, some alcantara) is a no-cost option on the 650S. You get used to it surprisingly quickly. Once you learn "your way" it becomes second nature. Agreed. Agreed. It should be awesome. I'm going to trade my 12C Spider for one. Let us know what you think!
I think Smooth had a bad experience with his 12C and I take his comments with a grain of salt. Just like mine should be considered in light of having a good experience in my first year of ownership. That said, I am not in the market for a 650S partly because I don't really care for the look, but mostly because I'd probably face a $150K delta to trade my 2012 12C coupe for a 2014 (or are they 15s?) 650S. I don't have the resources or stomach to spend $12K a month just to keep up with the latest and greatest.
